Have you ever visited a LHS in a town you've visited?

[on30francisco]

I have visited some hobby shops when I was in Florida. Their selection of products were so-so and they charged list prices. I didn't buy anything.

[yellowducky]

I like to look, and I like to buy. So anytime I can get advanced notice while traveling that a LHS exists, such as a mag ad, I take advantage of it.

You might say it pays to advertise in MRR. They pay MRR, I pay them.[:)]

[JDCoop]

Before I ever leave on vacation I check the back of the magazine to see if there are any shops in the area that I'm visiting. I've been to shops in Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia. Of all of the shops I've visited while vactioning, I still consider my hometown shop, Chuck's Depot in Marion, Illinois the best shop I've ever been to. The best shops I've been to while on vacation have been:

Des Plaines Hobbies, Des Plaines, Illinois
The Antique Barn & Train Shop, Wilson, North Carolina
Trainmaster Models, Duluth, Georgia
Chattanooga Depot, Chattanooga, Tennessee
The Corner Store, Lorain, Ohio

I've already been looking in the back of the magazine for shops to visit during my next vacation sometime in 2005. Since my wife so patiently follows me to the hobby shops, I return the favor by taking her to scrapbooking stores. We also locate those stores by using the directory in the back of her scrapbooking magazines.

Jeff

[Anonymous]

My wife's family is from Savannah, Ga which is seven hours by car from where we live. There is a great hobby shop there called Bull Street Station, and I always make it a point to visit and always end up making a purchase. The manager and I became quite friendly, and after his relocation back to CT, the owner and I got aquainted as well. They keep a medium-large store HO layout, and when I first visited after John's depature, the owner permitted me to operate the layout just like we had before he left. I'll visit Bull Street Station anytime I'm in Savannah, and I recommend it to anyone who finds themself there as well.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dehusman

My wife gets irritated when the first thing I do after checking into the motel is look at the Hobby--Retail section of the Yellow Pages.

Dave H.

Ditto, That and Photographers, thats what we do for a living. I always carry a couple of mags around to find the local stores also.

Dave C

[Anonymous]

I always try to check out the LHS when I travel. In fact back when I was stationed in 29 Palms I would always reluctantly "volunteer" to attend some meeting in San Diego. Of course I made myself feel better by stopping at Reeds (outside of San Diego) and Longs (Moreno Valley). I also make it a point to visit The Model Railroad Shop in Dunellen NJ when I visit my mom and a trip to Dallas would not be complete without going to Discount Model Trains in Addison. On other trips I take, either on business or vacation I always hit the yellow pages or the back of MR to see what's in the area. If I can swing it I'll visit one or two in each place. Some were great, some so-so and some stunk, but I enjoyed each one - let's me sightsee around the area and often times I'll see a neat building to take a pic of and perhaps scratchbuild a model of someday.

[cwclark]

I really don't need to visit other LHS's...I'm within reach of two of the finest Hobby shops in the land...the Houston Roundhouse and Papa Ben's...if they don't have it or can't get it...it can't be had...Chuck[:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CP5415

Ok, keep it kind guys & girls!

This is about shops that advertise in MRR & this advertising is revenue for MRR & it's this revenue that keeps the price of the magazine at an affordable price.
We don't need to get anyone upset.
I think constructive critizism will be allowed unless someone complains.
No need to get mean about it.

I'm only curious as I recently did this in Orlando & went to "The Train Depot" in Winter Park.
Decent shop, almost every scale covered, prices reasonable.

Gordon

If the negative thoughts get out of hand Erik will probably close this poll unless I do so first.

[ereimer]

my wife and i enjoy driving vacations , the kind where you don't actually have a destination , you just start going in one direction and the next days activities are planned looking through maps and guide books in the motel room after dinner the night before . a copy of MR is always included in this planning (although a hobby shop doesn't always get picked as the days event , i have to compromise [:)] ) .

[csmith9474]

We live in Colorado Springs, and have a great train store (Custom Railway Supply), but do make it up to Denver a couple of times a month, so I enjoy stopping at Caboose Hobbies and picking up a thing or two, or maybe five.........

[MisterBeasley]

I don't travel much, but I do check MR for listings when I do. Unfortunately, I don't travel to places that have LHS's listed in MR. But, I'll keep looking.

When I'm on business, there usually isn't much free time. When I'm with the wife and daughter, they don't want to stop at a train shop. (And I don't want to stop at a shoe store. So, we keep on going.)

[grayfox1119]

I always consult the MRR mag rear section when we are travelling to see where the LHS's are located. And, I can't walk out without buying "something" because we all need a tool, or another car, scenery stuff...SOMETHING alsways catches our eyes....right guys?

By the way, I started a thread last year sometime, that allowed each responder to add any LHS that they had visited, and to RATE the store on several key areas such as stock availability, service , knowledge, etc. Why re-invent the wheel, just look back a few thousand pages.

[Anonymous]

There are a couple of out of town hobby shops I visited due to seeing an ad in MRR but almost every time I go out of town the 1st thing I do when I settle into my motel room is check the phone book for hobby shops and if one is close by I pay it a visit.

Bob DeWoody

[railroadyoshi]

I'm in Minneapolis quite often, and one of my most important stops is Beckers in the Rice Creek Plaza in New Brighton, MN. I saw the ad in MR, and since I stay in NB anyways, visited.

It was wonderful. I've returned to their shop many times after my first, always greeted by the same kindness and knowledgeable staff who run a very well stocked shop.

[Anonymous]

Be there done that many times.

[rockisland4309]

Whenever I'm in L.A. for work I always go to The Original Whistle Stop in Pasadena and Allied Model Trains in Culver City. When I fly out to see my sister in Dallas I always go to Discount Model Trains in Addison. Next month I'll be in Denver for work so I'm going to make a point of stopping at Caboose Hobbies.

And 9 times out of 10 I can always find a model I've been looking for that I haven't been able to find online or has long since sold out or discontinued.

[sebamat]

Yes, did... I looked on MR for a shop in Chicago,, I drove there only to find out it was its day off...
Can you believe I did not buy anything ... :))

[tomikawaTT]

I travel to sporting events several times a year, which means spending a couple of days in an unfamiliar place with time to waste (the sport is gymnastics, and meets typically run 4 days.) My favorite way to waste time is to visit LHS, first those seen in MR, then others from the Yellow Pages or suggested by locals.

I always intend to just go and browse, but almost always end up buying something.

[Train 284]

I just visted and looked around, a lot of pricy stuff.

[SOU Fan]

I've never visited a hobby shop in another town just because when I travel it's with my family. I'm the third kid out of five

[Anonymous]

When ever I travel the first thing I do when I check into my room is grab the Yellow pages,and look under hobby. Why the Yellow pages and not MR? Most of the shops i've been in do not list with MR any longer, because of the prices they charge. Hope the boys in advertising do read this.
I was just in St. Cloud MN this week, MR has one or two shops listed for the whole state. I found four shops just in St. Clouds yellow pages.

[Anonymous]

My wife goes out of town to education conferences about twice a year. Two years ago I started to tag along. The conferences are always in nice downtown hotels and I like to walk so before we leave I would get a list of used book stores and plan a walking tour for the days when she had to be at the conference. I visited 8 used book stores in San Francisco / Berkley, 4 in Halifax, 5 in New Orleans and 2 in Philadelphia last November. Before we went to Philly I asked about hobby shops on this forum and visited and made a purchase from a nice little shop on Walnut Street between 3ed & 4th.

We had a trip planed for April to San Diego but..... today we got the word that 4 people are being laid off at the end of the month. I am one of them so I may not be able to take time off whatever job I land. There is never a dull moment.

[CP5415]

Bukworm, that sucks!
Sorry to hear about that, it's never easy to find that out.
I hope you land on your feet fast!

Gordon

[wrumbel]

When I was in Reno last year went to hobby shop. Was listed in MR so I looked it up. Was a great hobby shop with lots of structure kits, details, and more stuff then most LHS have these days. They have a web site and said if I needed anything to let them know. I spent about $100 and will go there again. High Sierra Models a great place to shop.

My kids live in Chicago so evewry time I'm there I look up a hobby shop. I have spent money in most but wasn't impressed with any of them so far.

[chateauricher]

While on vacation a couple years ago in Ottawa (Ontario, Canada), I visited Hobby House on Montreal Road. I have since returned once when I attended a model railroad show; and I plan to return whenever I am in the Ottawa area. I found the store listed in MR.

Over Hallowe'en weekend in 2004, I visited a friend in Lebanon (NH). He is also a model railroader. We spent the weekend I was there driving all over southern NH and south-eastern VT going from one train/hobby shop after another, many of which we found listed in MR.

And, yes, when I find something at a good price, I have purchased things at NSLHSs (not-so-local hobby shops).